Necroism
by Catie Kerwood
Summary: You keep what you kill. That is the Necromonger way. Its just a fancy way of saying Right of Conquest. But when Riddick kills a Necro lord, he inherits a difficult claim to stake.
1. I

"You keep what you kill."

That is the Necromonger way.

It has always been since Covu, the First Lord Marshal began the order of "Necroism" and ordered the first Necropolis built.

Then there was Oltovm, the Second Lord Marshal and Builder of the Necropolis. He is the Creator of the Great Necromonger Armada.

Naphemil, Third Lord Marshal and father of the Necro Philosophy, he is the one who ordered the Necropolis unearthed and entombed in the Basilica.

Baylock "the Brutal", Fourth Lord Marshal and last to be born to Necroism. He would not live to see his visage eventually grace the Icons left in the Necromongers wake on so many cleansed worlds.

Kryll, the Fifth Lord Marshal, brought forth our most prized asset, the Quasi-Dead, fragile yet powerful beings whose use to the Necro's evolves even today.

Zhylaw, Sixth Lord Marshall, and the first to adopt the Necromongers darkest philosophy, it read that those races unwilling to convert, their penance shall be infanticide.

Now there is the current Lord Marshal, Riddick, killer of Zhylaw and survivor from the planet Furya now a dead planet. Zhylaw laid siege to that planet thirty years ago after he heard a prophecy that his un-timed death would be brought about by a male Furyan infant. Very much like the Ancient Earth story of Moses, the Egyptian Pharaoh heard that his end would come from a Hebrew boy, so he had all Hebrew male infants killed, but one survived.

"You keep what you kill."

That is the Necromonger way.

Ever since we left our mother planet of Asylum, ever since we began to travel across the stars, purifying planets in our path, ever since we began our journey to the Underverse.

"You keep what you kill."

Unfortunately that means everything.

(A/N: I got the Necromonger History from the Hunt for Riddick game on the TCOR website. Just to let you know, I didn't make this up.)


	2. II

Sharah woke to the sound of her husband leaving their room. She simply stretched out along the bed and went back to sleep.

Riddick's first order as Lord Marshal, after terminating final protocol procedure on Helion Prime, was to discharge most the Commanders that the last Lord Marshal had. He didn't trust them since most of them were still extremely loyal to the last Lord Marshal. Only one of them gave him any problem, Commander Toals. He remembered seeing the man scanning the Quasi-Dead grotto for him when he came to kill the Lord Marshal. Commander Toals was just Lord Toals now. Toals seemed even more agitated when Riddick told him his reason, that he had no intention of keeping the Necromonger faith alive, and that he had shown absolutely no emotion during their conversation. The man walked away furious and Riddick went on to other business.

Bucha Toals (pronounced Boo-kuh) entered the rooms that he and his wife shared, furious at the new Lord Marshal.

"Bucha?" he heard and looked seeing his wife standing in the doorway of their bedroom in standard Lady Necromonger dress. "What's wrong?"

"The new 'Lord Marshal' just took me from my post as a High Commander."

"But why?"

"He didn't trust me."

"Smart man."

"What?"

"I'm only saying, this Riddick is a warrior he doesn't want to be surrounded by his late enemy's battle officers. It only makes sense." She said and he approached her.

"You're smart Sharah, and you're right. What he's doing is what leaders have been doing for thousands of years." he said and cupped her cheeks in his hands, wishing that her hair wasn't back in its tight braid so he could bury his hands into it, grab fistfuls of it.

"What are you going to do now? Be one of those Lords that flit about worrying about asinine details? Or are your going to continue to serve our new Lord Marshal till Underverse come?"

"I am going to serve him, I shall never be one of those empty headed Lords." Bucha said and she embraced him. He put his arms around her and kissed the Necromonger mark on her neck, feeling her stiffen. The mark was and still is hypersensitive. "We deserve better. You deserve better."

"I have exactly what I want. A loving, wonderful husband, that's all I could have asked for." Sharah said and he smiled.

"I love you." Bucha said and they kissed gently. "But you deserve the power and the respect you so rightly deserve." He said and she looked at him with slanted eyes.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, just saying."

"Bucha no."

"No what?"

"Don't you even think about taking on Riddick for Lord Marshal. He killed Zhylaw, who came back from the Underverse, he will kill you before your due time and you will never see the Underverse. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." She said and held his face in her hands. "I love you Bucha. Come lets go out and mingle." She said and grasped his hand in her own, entwining their fingers. They left the rooms and walked along the halls, still holding hands. Public displays of affection were just not done in Necro society but that didn't stop them. They got sideways glances from the passing people and were approached by Dame Vaako.

"Lord Toals, Dame Toals." She said nodding her head at them.

"Dame Vaako." Sharah said nodding back while Bucha just nodded, not saying anything. "How are you this day?"

"Fine thank you. And yourself?"

"Very well."

"Good to hear." Dame Vaako said and looked at Bucha. "Lord Toals, I heard through idle gossip that the Lord Marshal has removed you from your place as Commander. Is this true?"

"It is."

"Its funny though, my husband, Lord Vaako, has not been removed and he was the last Lord Marshal First Commander." Dame Vaako said.

"Is that why you wanted to talk to us Dame Vaako? To gloat that your husband is still First Commander?" Sharah asked with a perked eyebrow and a carefully controlled voice and she looked at her.

"Not at all Dame Toals, I was merely coming to say how sorry I am for your husbands demotion of power. Now I have many things to do today, it was nice seeing you two."

"Nice seeing you also Dame Vaako." Sharah said and Bucha nodded. The Dame walked away and they both let out a sigh. "I really do not like her."

"Me either Sharah, me either." Bucha said and she snorted.

"Idle gossip, ha! Everyone knows she has spies all over this ship."

"And that she has her husband in her pocket."

"I don't think she _has_ pockets Bucha." Sharah said and he looked at her, then started to laugh. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

That night Sharah made love to her husband. But neither one of them knew that it would be the last time.


	3. III

Toals looked over he railing and down into the Necropolis early one morning while his wife still slept. The Lord Marshal was talking to the Air Elemental, pacing back and forth in front of the throne. He stopped and shrugged at something she said, saying something back.

Riddick talked to Aereon in the Necropolis, while pacing back and forth. The aging Air Elemental was only on the ship as long as it took them to get her back to her home planet.

"While I am relieved to hear that you will not be sustaining the Necro faith. I am somewhat surprised that you chose to stay around. To continue to be Lord Marshal." She said and he stopped, shrugging.

"Keeps the mercs off my neck." He said and she nodded.

"You also demoted the deceased Lord Marshal's commanders as well, but not Lord Vaako. Why is that? He tried to kill you once, and he might do so again. Is it to keep an eye on him?"

"Truthfully I'm more interested in his wife."

"Riddick." She said disapprovingly and he chuckled.

"Mind outta the gutter Aereon. She's already come onto me once and I turned her down. No, that's not why I'm interested in her. If you had asked me a couple months ago…" he stopped and shrugged. "Vaako may be a great Commander but his wife controls him. She manipulated him into trying to kill the last Lord Marshal. His wife holds the leash, everyone knows this, even if he doesn't." he then noticed something his peripheral vision. "We have an observer, but don't look."

"Who is watching us?"

"Toals."

"One of the Commanders you decommissioned?"

"Yes."

"Why is he watching us?"

"Damned if I know." Riddick said and looked up at him, watching his eyes widen. "Toals, come down here." He commanded and Toals walked to the large sweeping staircase, starting to descend it.

"Yes Lord Marshal?" he asked in perfect politeness.

"You were watching us." He said, making it a statement and not a question.

"Yes Lord Marshal."

"Why?" he asked and Toals shrugged.

"Curiosity."

"Dangerous things that."

"I didn't hear anything."

"Not the point, next time you feel curious about something and feel like exploring. Don't. Understood?"

"Yes Lord Marshal."

"Dismissed."

"Yes Lord Marshal." Toals said and left the Necropolis, going back to his rooms. Sharah was still asleep so he disrobed and crawled under the covers, she curled against him in her sleep and he put his arms around her.

There was a commotion in the Necropolis. Sharah pushed her way through the crowd of Necro's and down the steps, catching bits of words like "fighting the Lord Marshal" and "losing". She became frantic and pushed her way through the circle of people in the Necropolis. She gasped in shock, putting her hand to her mouth. Bucha was fighting Riddick.


	4. IV

Blood left a crymson trail down the side of his face and Riddick punched him across the jaw with a solid right hook, Bucha's head rocked to the side and blood flew out of his mouth in a red arc.

Riddick was moving faster than a normal man should be able to, Furyan or not. Bucha managed to block some blows but most landed, he got in his own but not many based on the fact that only the corner of Riddick's mouth was bleeding and there was a bruise developing on his jaw, while Bucha's face was a mask of blood.

Sharah wanted to stop the fight but knew she couldn't. Once a fight is started it can only stop until one of them yields or dies, and Bucha will never yield, his honor and dignity is at stake.

Riddick suddenly had a knife in his hand and while Bucha blocked one blow Riddick slid the knife through his armor and into his chest. Bucha's own body weight pulled the knife out of his chest as he fell back onto the floor.

Riddick approached Toals who lay bleeding and dying on the Necropolis floor, ready to give the killing blow when a very pale Necro woman suddenly flung herself forward and onto Toals' body, tears streaming down her face. Toals looked up at her and touched her cheek gently.

"Sharah." He rasped and she looked at him.

"Bucha, why?" she asked.

"You deserve power and respect. And I gave it to you."

"To hell with power and respect!" she exclaimed. "I don't want them, I want you. Please don't leave me Bucha." She sobbed.

"Death is nothing but another phase of life."

"But you won't be with me in this life, and that is one thing that I couldn't bare to think of." She said and he wiped the tears from her snow-white cheeks. His brow furrowed for a second as he touched her tightly bound hair.

"Let down your hair, just one last time." He requested and she did, removing the fastening from it and letting it fall to her elbows in a bright orange wave. Bucha buried his hands in it and ran his fingers through it, getting blood on the strands. "So smooth, so soft."

"Bucha." She sobbed and put her hand on one of his, pressing it into her cheek. "Please don't leave me."

"You belong to Riddick now."

"He shall never own me!" Sharah proclaimed. "Only you, forever you." She said and they kissed gently, she nearly gagged at the taste of his blood on his lips. He exhaled shakily into her mouth and went slack. She looked at him as a fresh wave of tears ran down her face. "Bucha?" she asked but there was no answer, his eyes were closed and he was unmoving. "No! Please come back! Please! Please! Don't leave me Bucha! Don't leave me." She said sobbing loudly and laying her head on his chest, getting his blood on her skin and hair. "Please don't leave me. Come back."

Riddick watched as the woman cried on the body of Lord Toals. Several ladies emerged from the crowd and tried to drag her but she fought them off and flung herself back onto the body, pleading for him to come back, to not leave her.

"Dame Toals, come." One of the women said and guilt speared through his body. The Dame suddenly grabbed a knife from Toals' belt and turned, throwing it at Riddick. He caught it in mid air, catching the blade between his hands in front of his face and the crowd froze, holding its breath.

"I will not fight her, she's grieving, she's angry, and she's not thinking." Riddick said, holding the blade by his side. One of the stronger women managed to get an arm around her waist and haul her away.

"You will never own me! Never!" Dame Toals yelled as she was dragged away, kicking to get free. She kept yelling the word 'never' until only her sobs were heard and then even those faded.

Sharah sat in what used to be hers and Bucha's room, tuning an ancient acoustic guitar that had been on a now conquered world. She struck a cord, her trained ear picking it and soon she was playing a tune, an old Avril Lavigne song, Slipped Away, one of the first that she learned to play those many years ago. The beginning tune was originally played by a piano, but a guitar was all she had.

In the middle of the song her voice cracked and she stopped to compose herself. She finished without having to stop again; she put the old instrument back into the case and latched it, putting it back in the corner of the room. She crawled onto her bed and put her face into Bucha's pillow, inhaling his scent and starting to cry again.

Riddick had stopped outside the open door, hearing the guitar music and the singing. It had been so full of emotion, sadness and sorrow, grief. His throat had tightened hearing this much sadness in one song and it had made him think of when he had lost Kyra.

Days passed and her grief really started to show. Black circles had formed under her gray eyes from lack of sleep. She didn't leave the rooms anymore, not even to eat, and thus she lost a disturbing amount of weight. Riddick was in the Lord Marshal's quarters, pacing back and forth in his room, feeling personally responsible for her condition. Why does he let her affect him so much?

His door chimed and he looked at it.

"Enter." He said and the door slid back, revealing a young woman in servant's dress. "Who are you?"

"Erin, My Lord. A lady-in-waiting to Dame Toals."

"What do you want?"

"I'm afraid of her condition My Lord. She won't eat she won't sleep. All she does is cry."

"My problem how?"

"You killed her husband My Lord, and that is the cause of her ailment. I've been trying to get her to eat, to sleep, but she won't listen to me. I just thought…"

"You just thought that if the Lord Marshal ordered her to, she would. I have a news flash for you Erin…she hates me. She won't do a thing I say, Lord Marshal or not." Riddick said and she nodded.

"Yes My Lord."

"Dismissed." He said she bowed her head at him, leaving quickly and shutting the door behind her.

Sharah lay curled up in her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She was fighting her exhausted body and mind, it wanted to sleep but every time she tried she would see Bucha's body, his handsome face covered in blood. She suddenly got up and went into the bathroom, turning on the shower and getting in. She adjusted it so it was almost scalding and shuddered, feeling it course down her body. She washed her hair and body, washing away the grime, the sweat and the tears. After rinsing she got out and got dressed into fresher sleep clothes, going back into her bedroom, finding the blankets and sheets changed and neatly made.

She lay down on the bed and could feel sleep start to suck her under.

"Erin?" she managed to call out. Erin stuck her head in the room.

"Yes My Lady?"

"I want no interruptions, I think I'm gonna get some sleep." She said and thought she saw Erin smile.

"Yes My Lady." She said and left, closing the door silently behind her. Sleep pulled her under and she let it.

Riddick stopped outside Dame Toals' door and knocked. It was opened a short time later by the servant Erin.

"Yes Lord Marshal?" she asked.

"I've come to see Dame Toals."

"It's not the best of time Lord Marshal."

"Excuse me?"

"I only meant that she's sleeping Lord Marshal. For the first time in days she's sleeping. I was just about to go get some food for her for when she wakes up."

"I will watch over her."

"Thank you Lord Marshal."

"No problem, go get some food for your Lady." He said and she walked past him with a bow of her head. Riddick walked into the rooms, closing the door behind him and followed the quiet sounds of breathing to the bedroom, seeing Dame Toals asleep on the bed, her unnaturally bright orange hair splayed out on the pillow behind her. He sat in a chair facing the bed in the shadows and removed his goggles, seeing her more clearly.


	5. V

Riddick watched over as she slept, noticing how the corner of her eye twitched ever now and then and she made small pained noises. After a little while he stood from his chair and knelt by the side of the bed. There were still dark circles under her eyes and her face was gaunt from lack of food.

He remembered the fierce anger and heartbreak that had been in her eyes when she had thrown the knife at him, and how she had fought the Ladies to get back to her fallen husband's body. The severe sadness and desperation that had been in her voice when she pleaded for Toals to come back to her had caused him to shudder inside and bring every painful memory to the surface.

He took one of her hands in his own and remembered seeing these very hands clinging to Toals' armor. He touched her damp hair and recalled it flowing down her back as she released it for her dying husband. She shifted in her sleep and he looked at her face. He could see what had attracted Toals to her in the first place. She was a beautiful woman and it was a kind of beauty that just made you want to strip away all logical thought and do anything for her, get anything she wanted. She knew that she had this power, but she didn't abuse it. Toals had wanted to give her power and respect but all she wanted was his love.

One silver tear ran down her cheek from the corner of her eye and he gently wiped it away with the pad of his thumb, being careful not to apply too much pressure, lest he wake her. He heard the front room door open then close softly and he knew that Erin, Sharah's lady-in-waiting, was back. He was still knelt by the bed when she entered the bedroom and the rich smell of soup hit his nose from the tray she was carrying.

"She still sleeping?" she asked quietly and he nodded, his eyes still on the sleeping woman on the bed. He heard Erin set the tray down and leave the room, going as quietly as she had come.

Once again, the Necro creed "you kill what you kill" entered his mind. Over the past few days, Commanders and Advisors have requested meetings with him on why he has yet to claim her, he refused to answer saying that it was really none of their business (that's the nice way to put it, which is not how he did).

He brought his mind back to Sharah and saw that her eyes were open and staring into his. Her face was passive but a deep rage was quickly filling her gray eyes making them look like chips of slate.

"Hello Lord Marshal." She said carefully before sitting up and getting off the bed on the opposite side. She walked over to the tray of food and he noticed how the pajamas hung off her thin frame. "Why are you here?"

"I came here to talk to you but you were asleep." He said standing and she looked at him.

"Okay, well I'm awake now."

"I'll leave you to eat. You look like you need it." He said and walked to the door, but paused before he left. "If I had known that he was married…"

"Yes?" she had gone very still.

"Then I wouldn't have fought him."

"Too late now." Sharah said and he sighed.

"I mean it." Riddick said and looked at her, seeing her looking at him. "If I had known that he was married and that his wife loved him so much, then I wouldn't have fought him, I wouldn't have killed him."

"Why did you fight him?"

"He challenged me."

"Oh." She said and looked away. "Why Bucha? Why?" she whispered, thinking that he wouldn't be able to hear, but his trained ears picked it up.

"He wanted to give you a better life. Something better than this." He said gesturing to the room.

"I like 'this'. I'm comfortable with 'this'. If I became a figure of high status, I would bugger it all up." She said and he caught a hint of an accent, from before she was converted maybe? He'd have to hear more of it to decipher its origin. A couple of small creatures ran by him just on the edge of his vision and he looked around, seeing nothing. "Look who decided to come out of hiding." Sharah said and crouched down, picking two small animals off the floor by her feet.

"What the fuck?" Riddick asked as he looked at them. They looked like miniature versions of the animals in Crematoria. "Are those…?"

"Hellhounds from Crematoria? Yes they are, but they're just babies." She said and held one out to him, the animal looked at him with big silver eyes and gave out a small sound that sounded like a cross between a meow and a bark. "This is Talyn."

"Okay, what do you want me to do with Talyn?"

"Hold him, and I'll give you a bottle." She said and he took the small creature from her hand. Its scales were soft and he knew from experience that when it grew the scales would harden becoming armor. He held it up in both his hands and met it eye to eye, the body was bright red and it was growling the scales were hot against his palms.

The animal was about the size of a medium sized puppy so he held it with his hands under its front legs. Talyn continued to growl at him, its ears going back, and Riddick fixed it with a stern gaze. Its tail lashed back and forth and it snapped at him. Riddick let out a low growl and it froze, its scales turned back to gray and it attempted to lick him.

"I've never seen him react to someone like that, to trust someone so quickly. It took me weeks to get him to trust me." Sharah said and he held Talyn in the crook of his arm, like a baby. The young Hellhound looked up at him with wide trusting eyes and he stroked its soft nose gently with the tip of his forefinger making him sneeze and Riddick smile. Sharah handed him one of the baby bottles that had been on the tray and he held the tip to Talyn's mouth. His mouth opened and closed around the tip, starting to suck the liquid from the bottle.

"What do you feed them?" Riddick asked.

"A protein fluid, not as good as their mothers milk, but close." She said as she fed the one in her arms.

"How did they get here?"

"When the Quasi-Dead scanned your Kyra, Zhylaw the last Lord Marshal saw these creatures on a view screen connected to the Quasi-Dead. He sent a command carrier out and attacked the prison, taking all the Hellhounds and killing the prisoners." She said moving side to side, looking down at the animal in her arms with love in her eyes.

"Did Toals give you these?" Riddick asked carefully.

"Yes, since I am unable to have children, my conversion took care of that, Bucha gave me these two as substitutes. Talyn is the youngest and Sonya, the one I'm holding, is the oldest, they're from the same litter." She said and there was a dry sucking sound as Sonya finished the bottle and was trying to get more. "My, my you were hungry." There was a sharp pain on his hand and he looked down seeing a bite mark. Talyn was looking up at him in question.

"I think they're still hungry."

"I'll send Erin down for more." She said and walked to the door, sticking her head out of it. "Erin, Talyn and Sonya are still hungry can you go get two more bottles?"

"Yes My Lady." Erin said and he heard her leave. Sharah came back into the room and Riddick handed Talyn off to her. She gently put them onto the bed where they then proceeded to roll around and wrestle.

"I love it when they play." Sharah said smiling. "There's an adult on the ship. They're going to put it down."

"Why?"

"Its killed ten guards so far, it can't be tamed. Such a shame, you can tell that the prison guards beat it heavily, it won't let anyone get near it." she said and sighed sadly. "They really are beautiful creatures. It's a shame to kill one of them."

"Where is it being kept?"

"The brig, in the bowels of the ship." She said and Erin came back carrying two baby bottles in with her. Talyn and Sonya jumped off the bed, Talyn rolling a little, and jumped around her ankles. Erin laughed and looked at them.

"I guess they really are hungry." She said and handed the bottles to Sharah. "Here you go My Lady."

"Thank you Erin." Sharah said smiling at her and handed a bottle to Riddick. "You take Sonya this time." She said as Erin left the room and as she picked up Talyn, holding him like she did Sonya. She began to feed him and Riddick gathered Sonya up in one hand, her scales were slightly harder than Talyn's had been. He started to feed her and she kept wiggling around. "She wants you to move around like I was, just side to side as if you were rocking a baby." Sharah said and Riddick, feeling a little foolish, started to rock side to side. Sonya relaxed in his arms and fed from the bottle. Soon the feeding was over and Sonya fell asleep, he could feel her 'purring' against his arm.

"I think these things are cats."

"I don't know what they are, sometimes they act like cats but other times they act like dogs." Sharah said shrugging and she went over to a large pillow that was sitting on the floor, setting a sleeping Talyn on it. She very gently took Sonya from Riddick and set her down next to Talyn.

"I'll leave you to rest." Riddick said.

"Thank you for helping me feed Sonya and Talyn, Lord Marshal." She said and he nodded.

"Call me Riddick." He said and then he left.

Riddick left her rooms and made his way to the brig.


	6. VI

Riddick was on his way to the brig when Lord Vaako approached him.

"May I walk with you Sir?" he requested and Riddick looked at him.

"If you really want to." He said and continued to walk again, Vaako walking next to him.

"May we speak?"

"Depends on the subject."

"Sharah Toals." He said and Riddick sighed.

"What about her?"

"There are worries Lord Marshal that you will not claim her. Worries for her safety."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know what the act of claiming is, Lord Marshal? The specific act of claiming a deceased Lord's wife?"

"Lord Valo told me what it is. In order to claim her, she and I would have to have sex." Riddick said looking down at his feet while he walked.

"If you haven't noticed by now. Sharah Toals is a beautiful woman."

"You'd have to be blind not to notice."

"You and I are not the only ones to see this Lord Marshal. Since you have yet to claim her talk has started among the Lady-less Lords of one them trying to."

"If she wants to get remarried who am I to object?"

"I don't think you're seeing my point Lord Marshal." Vaako said seriously and they stopped walking.

"No, I don't think I am. Why don't you just get to it?"

"I like my women willing, some of the Lady-less Lords don't care. If you do not claim her soon Lord Marshal, one of these Lords might try to claim her by force."

"Shit."

"My thoughts exactly. Claim her Lord Marshal, before she is…harmed." Vaako said and Riddick nodded.

"Thank you for this information Lord Vaako." Riddick said and Vaako nodded, bowing slightly.

"No, thank you for taking the time to speak with me Lord Marshal. I shall leave you to whatever you were doing." Vaako said and walked away. Thinking about the disturbing piece of information that he just received, Riddick continued his walk to the brig.

The sound of growling, snarling, and barking. The sounds of the yelling and of shock sticks. Riddick smiled rather evilly and stepped into the brig, but had to back into the gloom again as the bright lighting seared his sensitive eyes.

"It's the Lord Marshal, turn the lights down!" a guard yelled and the level of the lights dropped dramatically making it easy for him to see. He stepped back into the brig and looked at the guards as they squinted at him, their eyes not yet used to the gloom.

"Having difficulties with an animal?" he asked and the guards nodded. "Show me where it's being kept."

"We are going to put it down Lord Marshal, you needn't worry yourself about it." one of them said and Riddick perked an eyebrow at him.

"Really?" he asked and the guard squirmed under his quicksilver gaze. "Show me where it's being kept." He said slowly and they all nodded and one of them stepped forward and opened a door, the sounds getting louder. Riddick walked through and automatically saw it. A very large, very marred, very pissed off Hellhound. The guards attacking it with the shock sticks stopped when they saw him and stood at attention. The military portion of his mind shifted and he stood in standard military stance, feet shoulder width apart with his arms behind his back, his hands holding the forearm of the other arm. "At ease." He said and they relaxed.

"What can we do for you Lord Marshal?" one of them asked and Riddick went to the bars of the cage, the abused Hellhound looked up at him with its silver eyes, eyes that pleaded for freedom and release from pain. Instantly Riddick's heart reached out to it.

_I know how you feel; I've been there._ He thought.

"Leave and lock the door behind you." He said.

"Excuse me Sir?" a guard asked and Riddick looked at him.

"Leave and lock the door behind you, but leave behind the key to this cell."

"But Sir…"

"Just do it." Riddick growled and felt the guards shift nervously behind him. He heard the scrape of metal against metal and the door opened behind him, the guards trooped out and the door closed behind him, the lock slid home with a solid _clunk_. Turning around Riddick picked the key for the cell off a counter and went to the cell door, sliding the electronic key in the lock and pressing button on it. Lights flashed on the lock and it slid open. Riddick stepped back as the door swung open. The glowing, growling Hellhound stepped out of the cell and pounced.

The guards listened but didn't hear anything.

"He's been in there a long time. Ya think he's still alive?" one of the guards asked and no sooner than the words left his mouth was there three bangs on the door. One of the guards went to it and slid back a small hatch jumping back slightly as he saw two amused silver eyes on the other side.

"Are you alright Lord Marshal?" he asked.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. I need a leash."

"A leash?"

"Did I stutter? I need a leash, one without a bit or muzzle." Riddick ordered.

"Y-yes Lord Marshal." The guard stuttered and another guard got it. The guard unlocked the door and opened it, reaching in with it. The leash was snatched out of his hand and the silver eyes vanished, he kept the hatch open and watched with wide disbelieving eyes as Riddick went to a gray Hellhound and gently slipped the collar around its neck and adjusted it so it fit comfortably around its neck. He rubbed its nose and it licked his hand.

"Open the door and back away. Slowly." Riddick said and the guard did as he was told. The door swung open and the Hellhound walked out growling, its body bright red. At the start of the leash stood Riddick with it wrapped around his hand. There was a large bleeding claw mark on his tensed right bicep, but other than that he was unharmed. The Hellhound tried to lunge at the guards but the leash brought it up short, it looked at Riddick pleadingly over its muscled shoulder. "Yeah I know, feeling's mutual. Now lets go." He said and it looked straight ahead. They then walked out of the brig.

For as long as the guards lived they would always remember the sight of the enraged beast being kept by a man who looked as if he would be its human brother.


	7. VII

As Riddick and Hellhound walked through the Basilica back to the Necropolis the creature snapped at passing Necro's and when they jumped back in fear Riddick could swear he saw a smile on its face. They managed to get back to his chambers and he knew that soon the whispers and rumors would start buzzing around the ship like a swarm of angry hornets. The moment Riddick let go of the leash it bound off and he chased after it.

Riddick stood in the doorway of his room and laughed, it had found its way in there and was lying on his bed.

"That's _my_ bed." He said and it looked at him as if saying 'and?'. "Fine, you can sleep there until I get you your own bed, but not a moment later." He went into the bathroom to start to clean up the three, neat gashes on his arm from the Hellhound's claws when it had pounced on him. Well, they won't need stitches at least.

He knew for a fact that the beast had just been playing with him, that it had recognized him from Crematoria, for it was the very Hellhound that he had formed a bond with the short while he had been in there. The signifying tag that had been on its ear had seemed to have been ripped off, for its ear was ragged. He heard it climb off the bed and come into the bathroom, bumping against his legs and making him smile. Turning to it and dropping to one knee, he started to scratch behind its ear and it licked his cheek. Standing, he finished cleaning his arm and wrapped a length of gauze around it, putting a clip on the end to keep it in place. Leaving the bathroom, Hellhound at his heels, he went to the comm system and punching in Sharah's number.

"My Lady, where are you going?" Erin asked and Sharah looked at her while putting on her boots.

"I've been summoned to the Lord Marshal's chambers." She said and Erin looked excited.

"You think he might claim you now?" she asked hopefully and Sharah tried not to laugh.

"He also asked me to bring Sonya and Talyn, so probably not." She said and went over to her, patting her cheek lightly. "Sorry." Talyn and Sonya jumped around her ankles and she had Erin go get their carriers. She put them in the carriers; they went rather reluctantly, but without hassle. After many debates, Erin convinced Sharah to let _her_ carry them.

Sharah never really understood why the Necro's needed servants when they were perfectly capable of doing everything on their own, she knew that Riddick had gotten rid of all his servants and that just proved her point. She couldn't bear to cast Erin out, they were too good of friends the only friend she had. Like her, Erin's conversion wasn't 100 and she still maintained who she was mentally, not becoming one of the brainwashed drones that are rampant the ship. They left the rooms and made their way to the Lord Marshal chambers, stopped outside and Sharah knocked on the door. It was opened a short time later and Riddick appeared.

"Sharah, thanks for coming on short notice." He said, the corner of his mouth perked in a small smile.

"Oh no problem Riddick." She said bowing her head at him shortly. She took the carriers from Erin and Erin left, going back the way they came.

"Come in." he said and stepped aside so she could enter.

"May I let Sonya and Talyn out the carriers?"

"Yes of course." He said and she set them down, she undid the latches and the young Hellhounds leapt out of the carriers. The adult came into the room casually and the pups stood in front of Sharah, their scales turning bright red and growls escaping them. It looked up at Riddick, its eyes saying 'what are you kidding me?' and Riddick shrugged.

"That's..." Sharah began backing up with wide eyes, bumping into Riddick's chest.

"Yes, that's the adult from the brig. He and I are good friends." Riddick said, concentrating on the Hellhound in front of him and not the feeling of her back against his chest, her butt against his groin. The tan dress she was wearing fitted tightly to her curves and dear lord did she have curves. She looked up at him in question and he gave her a soft smile. "It's an animal thing." He wanted to grasp her hips in his large hands and pull her tighter against him but resisted, knowing that it would make her uncomfortable.

"He won't hurt me or Sonya and Talyn?"

"No, not unless I tell him to and why would I do that?" Riddick said and lightly, very lightly, put his hands on her hips. She reached out her hand cautiously and the hound came closer, he began to smell her fingers and soon was butting his head into her hand, its eyes closed, a deep purr escaping it. "Well he has good taste." Riddick said and she laughed, dropping her hand to her side. The hound lowered its head and started to smell the pups, touching noses with them, and then licking them, starting to clean them in turn. "And his paternal instincts just kicked in."

"Well its nature for an adult of a species to look after, protect, and care for the young of the same species. But when Sonya is mature and goes into heat he better not try to mount her, if he does I'll castrate him myself." The hound looked up at her in horror and they laughed.

"I think he understood you." Riddick said.

"No doubt of it, they are very intelligent creatures."

"Sharah, I had a disturbing conversation with Lord Vaako about you today and why I haven't 'claimed' you yet."

"It's strange."

"What is?"

"That's exactly what Erin thought you were calling me down for, to claim me." Sharah said and moved away from him and out of his hands. "Now if you wish to, tell me about this conversation between you and Vaako."

"He told me that because I have yet to claim you, a few of the Lady-less Lords might try, and they won't care if you consent or not." He said and she looked at him in fear.

"You mean they'll..." her voice trailed off and he nodded slowly. "Dear lord."

"Exactly. So either I claim you right now, or you come and live in here with me so I can keep an eye on you."

"I don't think I'm ready to...you know."

"I understand." Riddick said trying not to look and sound _too_ downfallen. Her bright orange hair was bound tightly but the tail was left loose. The adult hound came over to her and looked up at her in question. She dropped to a crouch and it started to smell her neck, licking her cheek. Using both hands she scratched behind his ears and he started to purr, the scales on his chest vibrating. Riddick stood behind her and reached out, touching her hair lightly, feeling the silken strands under his fingertips. She stood and turned, bumping into his chest; he caught her with an arm around her waist that pulled her tight against his chest. A low growl threatened to form at the feeling of her body against his.

"Riddick what happened to your arm?" she asked, touching the bandage.

"He was just playing."

"The hound?"

"Yes."

"Well here's hoping that he never gets it into his head to 'play' with me." She said and he chuckled, the movement of his chest shaking her body slightly. His arm around her waist loosened and he put his hands on her hips lightly. After a little his hands moved up slowly and he dragged his fingertips down her sides through the thin material. She giggled and he grinned evilly.

He did it again, his fingertips moving over her waist and across her stomach and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. She started to laugh as he continued to tickle her and when he stopped her head was lying on his chest, her arms around his waist for support. She looked up at him, laughter still dancing in her eyes. A sudden flush came to her cheeks and she took her arms from around him, stepping back.

"I should probably go now. It was a nice seeing you again Lord Marshal." She has fallen into the 'submissive subject' pose, her head bowed respectfully and her hands clasped in front of her.

"Thank you for coming." He said backing up a little, giving her space. He helped her gather up Sonya and Talyn, who had fallen asleep on Riddick's bed, pressed against his Hellhound. She left the rooms, a carrier in each hand and when she was gone he laid on his bed, his knees dangling off the end. He looked over at the Hound, whom he had affectionately named Aries. "What am I gonna do about her Aries?" the Hound was of course silent. "Yeah I didn't really expect you to answer either."

Sharah was down in the weapons hangar, field stripping a pulse rifle. She took it apart, did a diagnostics scan and put it back together again in under 30 seconds.

(A/N: Hehe, my mom can do that with an assault rifle. That's part of the reason why I'm enlisting in the Air Force after I graduate High School.)

Bucha had taught her how to do this shortly after they had gotten married. He said he wanted a wife that could take care of herself, he loved that she could spill blood by just talking, figuratively speaking of course, and wanted her to be able to defend herself physically as well.

She went onto a pulse pistol and did the same, she found the core cracked and she repaired it, putting it back together. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dame Vaako come into the hangar and walk over to her just as she was getting onto her favorite weapons. Old-fashioned bullet guns, she picked up the 9mm Beretta and ejected the clip, checked it and put it back, locking it with a solid _click!_

"Can I help you with something Dame Vaako?" she said as she pulled back the slide and let go, loading one into the chamber. The Dame perked an eyebrow at her.

"Strange to find _you_ here Sharah." She said with feigned curiosity.

"Even more peculiar to find _you_ here Dame Vaako. I must say that I can't see you as the kind of person who is interested in weaponry."

"I'm not. I was looking for you."

"Figured as much."

"I wanted to ask you about the Lord Marshal. Why he has yet to claim you."

"I don't know why. Now if you don't mind I'm rather busy."

"I never understood your fascination with weapons. It's so...unseemly for a woman. Especially for one such as yourself."

"Excuse me?"

"The Lord Marshal's intended mistress."

"Excuse me?" Sharah asked again, this time setting the gun down and facing her, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"I only meant..."

"Sharah!" they both looked over to see Riddick in the doorway of the weapons hangar. "I've been looking all over for you." He said walking over to her. "Dame Vaako." he said, nodding to the other woman.

"Lord Marshal." She said bowing her head at him.

"I believe your husband is looking for you." Riddick said and she shrugged gracefully.

"He can wait."

"I suggest you go to your husband Dame Vaako, he's looking for you." His voice was hard and she nodded again, leaving the hangar.

"I really don't like her." Sharah said and he looked at her.

"Yeah she is a bitch. Anyway, you're probably wondering why I was looking for you."

"Vaguely yes."

"Aries was missing you."

"Aries?" she asked and he grinned, turning to the door and whistling loudly through his teeth. There was a loud bark and she turned in time to see the grown Hellhound running full out towards her. It pounced, tackling her to the ground and sitting on her stomach. She breathed deeply to regain the air that had been knocked out of her and looked up at the hound. "Oh," She wheezed, "Aries."

"He likes you." Riddick said smiling and Aries laid down on her, pinning her to the floor and laying his head on her dress between her breasts, gazing at her. "Contrary to popular belief, he's just a big puppy."

"A _very_ big puppy." She said, petting him.

"All right big guy. Time to let Sharah up." Riddick crouched down and wrapped his arms around the hounds' middle, picking him up. He set him down and extended his hand downward to her. She took it and he picked her up from the floor, but almost fell again when Aries bumped affectionately against her legs. "You're the only Necro he seems to like."

"That's because I haven't tried to hurt him." Sharah said and he shrugged. "I should be getting back and so should you. Your Commanders will be wanted conference with you since you've decided the next planet."

"True, and I need to prepare my whole conversion speech thing."

"But I thought you weren't going to continue the Necro faith."

"I'm not, I'm going to give the people a choice."

"Convert or die?"

"No."

"Oh, okay. Well it was nice talking with you Riddick." She said and he nodded turning and walking away with Aries at his heels.


	8. VIII

That night as Sharah slept, she dreamed. Her body undulating on her bed, a red flush covering her skin, a soft whimper escaping her lips. In her dream a heavy body was pressed against hers, large hands grasping her waist as narrow hips surged between her thighs, bringing her closer and closer to the edge of oblivion. A low growl escaped the mans throat and she cupped his face in her hands, bringing his head in for a searing kiss, her eyes staring deep into the molten mercury pools of his irises.

Sharah woke, sitting up so violently in her bed that she nearly flung herself out of it. She pressed a hand to her pounding heart, sliding it up to touch her hot cheek. She took several deep breaths, exhaling heavily before falling back on her bed, going back to sleep quickly.

_"You've forgotten what you are."_ Those voices, voices that have been haunting her dreams for the past weeks. _"You've forgotten..."_ she was standing in a pitch-black void, the voice all around her. The shadows seemed solid as if she could reach out and touch them.

"What is it? What have I forgotten?" she asked.

_"You've forgotten what you are, who you are."_

"What am I?"

_"Remember your past, remember who you are."_

"Who am I?" she asked and she opened her eyes, the whisper echoing in her ears.

_"Remember..."_

* * *

The soldier stopped in front of the Grand Chancellor of the planet in the capital dome, a Necro behind him.

"Sir." He said saluting him. "This Necromonger says that he has a message to give to you, we picked up his ship while it was entering the atmosphere and scans show an armada stationed outside the planet." The soldier said and the Grand Chancellor nodded, looking at the Necro.

"What is your message Necromonger?"

"The Lord Marshal wishes to address the population of the capital."

"The stories of Necromongers does not support this. The stories of conquered worlds, dead worlds."

"That was the old Lord Marshal, Grand Chancellor. This is the new."

"He wants to make his conversion speech does he?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"And if we choose not to convert?"

"Then we leave."

"You've become missionaries then? Not a savage civilization bent of universal domination?"

"We've changed. The Lord Marshal believes in the power of choice." The Necro said and the Grand Chancellor thought for a long while, giving the messenger a stern look.

"Fine." He said finally. "Contact your Lord Marshal and tell him he can come down and make his speech."  
"He is bringing soldiers with him."

"Why? If he is not planning on attacking?"

"Security reasons. The Lord Marshal is a great survivor, but accidents do happen."

"Understood. Now go." He said and the Necro gave a short bow.

"Thank you Grand Chancellor." He said and left the capital dome.

* * *

"Sir we've received a comm from the envoy. The Grand Chancellor will allow you to make the speech and have soldiers present." Vaako said and Riddick nodded.

"Perfect, let's go." Riddick said and felt as the ship began its decent. It rumbled as it breached atmosphere, the pilots making the necessary adjustments and there was a shuddering jolt as it landed. He left the bridge with his entourage of soldiers, and since he had gotten rid of all the tradition Lord Marshal clothes (the cape, head gear and armor), he was just in his usual black tank top, cargo pants and combat boots, his black welding goggles resting on his forehead. Another group would be joining them at his signal before he was done with his speech.  
Riddick grimaced as he stepped outside of the Necropolis, the bright sun of Andromeda Prime searing his eyes. He lowered his goggles before setting out again. Walking into the crowded capital dome he walked up to the Grand Chancellor.

"You're the Lord Marshal?" he asked and Riddick's jaw tightened.

"Haven't seen you in a while." He ground out. "What was it? Nine, ten years?"

"Twelve." He said and Riddick shrugged. Tension mounted as they squared off and everyone fully expected blood to start flying. They suddenly moved and the guards drew their guns but halted when they saw that the two men had embraced in a brotherly hug, both of them smiling and laughing. They pulled away and crossed their arms over their chests. "How you been?" He asked and Riddick shrugged.

"Not so good. You?"

"Sorry to hear that and I've been good."

"Grand Chancellor huh?"

"Yup."

"Nice."

"So tell me Riddick. How'd you become the leader of these nut jobs?"

"Long story I'll tell you later. "

"We should have a drink, catch up."

"We haven't seen each other since we both escaped from prison."

"Very true." The Grand Chancellor said. "Make your speech." He said and Riddick nodded, the Grand Chancellor walked away and Riddick faced the people.

"Okay. All of you have heard of the Necromongers, correct?" he asked. "Conquered worlds, conversions, the works." Some made vocal confirmations, others nodded, and the rest were silent, staring up at him. His face suddenly became passive, his voice becoming low and guarded. "People dying, entire planets being destroyed by a man who wasn't a man at all. That Lord Marshal is dead, killed by my hand, the survivor of one of the conquered worlds." He was silent for a long while, as if gathering his thoughts. "There is a place in the Necromonger philosophy, called the Underverse. They say it is a place where when people die, that's where they go. Loved ones, friends, anyone you have ever loved, ever cared about. But there's a catch. You have to convert." He said and the population erupted into murmurs and whispers. "Now I'm not going to lie to you. It'll hurt like a bitch. You'll be suspended from your armpits and metal spikes will be jammed into your neck. But they say that the pain fades."

"You didn't convert! Why should we?" a man yelled and Riddick looked at him.

"I don't have any loved ones that'll be in the Underverse. There was one person, but she...if I showed up there she'd kick my ass for converting." A small proud smile flickered on his face but left as quickly as it came. "Convert, die when you should and be with everyone you've ever loved again. Everyone lost someone, a mother, a father, brothers, sisters, or children. You convert and you will see, touch, hold the very people you lost. Converting has its other perks though..." he started and the capital dome doors opened. The Dames walking in dressed in their best, Sharah leading them. The well-dressed Lords came in with them, going to their wives. Sharah went to his side and smiled tiredly up at him. Exhaustion showing heavily in her pale eyes.

"What happens to the citizens who choose not to convert Riddick?" The Grand Chancellor asked and Riddick looked at him.

"Nothing. No 'convert or die', no infanticide." He said and looked back at the woman at his side. Leaning closer he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "You okay?" he whispered.

"We need to talk." She whispered back and he nodded, then turned his attention back to the populace.

"Convert or don't. It's your decision. You all have an hour to decide." He strode out of the capital dome, the soldier and nobles following, his messenger staying behind. When they got back to the Necropolis, Riddick and Sharah went up the Basilica where they would have reasonable privacy. He dismissed everyone in the room so they were alone. "You wanted to talk?"

"I don't know who I am." She said, unshed tears in her voice.

"What?" Riddick asked.

"I can't remember who I am. I don't remember what my planet was, who my people were. I keep having these dreams where someone is telling me to remember, and I can't."

"What do you want _me_ to do about it?"

"As Lord Marshal, you are privy to information that no one else is."

"Such as?"

"Such as the Converts Database, a list of all Necro converts and their information. I need you to look me up, I need you," her voice died but she found it again. "I need you to find out who I am."

"What do I get in return?"

"Damnit Riddick!" she yelled. "This is my life we're talking about! My identity! It's not something to be traded and bartered with!" he suddenly began to advance on her and she knew that yelling at him probably hadn't been the best idea in the world. She started to back up, walking backwards smoothly on her high heeled boots. He suddenly reached out and grabbed her upper arms in his hands, pulling her against him roughly. "Riddick I'm…"

"Quiet." He growled and the apology died in her throat. His fingers tightened around her arms with bruising force and she whimpered.

"You're hurting me." Sharah whispered but he didn't loosen his grip. His fingers tightened and she whimpered again, wincing. "Riddick," she whimpered and he suddenly stooped down, kissing her roughly. His lips moved savagely against hers, demanding dominance. She softened her lips and he pulled away, letting go of her arms. Snippets of her dream involving him flashed through her mind and she reached up, cupping his face in her hands and pulling him down, kissing him sweetly.

* * *

Riddick flopped onto his back; his shining eyes fixed on the ceiling. Several dozen people from each of the main cities had chosen to convert and the ship was asleep now, but he wasn't. His mind refused to turn off and kept replaying what had happened between him and Sharah in the Basilica. He had kissed her to show her just who was boss, who was stronger and had been shocked when her lips had softened against his. He had pulled away only to have his face cradled in her slender fingers and brought down, her lips pressing against his. They had kissed until a Necro steward had interrupted them, telling him that it was time to go once more. It hadn't mattered that they had been seen. Under Necro law, she wouldn't be claimed by him until they slept together and even though he wasn't a Necro, she was and he was the Lord Marshal. He would have just changed the stupid law, but they were carved in stone, literally and metaphorically.

Rumors had started buzzing through the Lord and Ladies after what they had been doing in the Basilica had leaked out somehow. The rumors intensified when Riddick had had her sit next to him at the Conversion Celebratory dinner and dance. Several Lords and Ladies eyes had been on them during the dinner and when they had danced, especially since they had whispered to each other throughout the entire thing like two conspirators. What they had whispered to each other about was a secret and won't be told. If you really want to know, you'll have to ask them, and even then its not a sure bet that they'll tell you.

Dame Vaako had approached Sharah after dinner and she calmly gave the manipulative Dame the cold shoulder. Dame Vaako had then hissed something in a language that he hadn't understood, but apparently Sharah had, because she punched her across the face, sending the Dame to the floor. The entire Necro Nobility society had been shocked and Sharah had stormed away leaving Riddick to chase after her.

_"What was that all about?" he asked._

_"She called me a…"_

_"A what?"_

_"You wouldn't understand."_

_"Try me."_

_"She called me a Goat-Herder."_

_"You're right, I don't understand."_

_"I don't know for certain, but I know that it's a grave insult of my home people, the equivalent of being called less than dirt."_

_"The people that you don't remember."_

_"Yes the people that I don't remember."_

_"I'll find out where you came from."_

_"The price?"_

_"When I do, I get to claim you." she thought for a long moment._

_"Deal, but not a moment before the info-pad is in my hand." She then held out her hand. "Shake on it?"_

_"I have a better idea." He pulled her into a kiss that made her go up on the tips of her toes, trying to get closer to him. He ravaged her mouth with his; sucking on her bottom lip and turning her lips a deep rose color._

_"Oh and Riddick?" she asked as they headed back to the main area._

_"Yes?"_

_"In case we had any eavesdroppers, the deal is open to you and you alone."_

_"Only me, got it. I have a question though."_

_"Shoot."_

_"Are you still claimed if the guy is married?"_

_"Yes, it is not uncommon for Necromonger Lords to have numerous wives. Bucha and I were monogamous, but others aren't. But like I said, the deal is open to you and you alone."_

Riddick rolled onto his side again as he forcibly turned his mind off, going into his normal sentry sleep.


	9. IX

Sharah, unable to sleep, pulled on a shirt, her pants and combat boots and left the rooms quietly as to not wake Erin and the pups. She went down to the weapons hangar and worked on her aim with the compound bow. The Necro soldiers found it useless and primitive, but she liked it, she liked felling the strength of the bow and how her arm strained when she pulled the string back. She loosed an arrow and it stuck in the first circle coming off the center of the target. The door behind her opened and then closed.

"Hello Sharah. You're up late." She recognized the smooth voice almost immediately.

"Hello Lord Tyren. How are you?" She loosed another bow; this time hitting bulls eye. The Necro Lord stood on the side of her and she looked at him out of the corner of her eye while pulling another arrow out of the quiver strapped her back. His dark eyes were fixed on her and she sighted down the arrow, pulling the string back and loosing it. She hit bulls eye right next to the last arrow.

"I am well. How are you?" he asked and she shrugged one shoulder.

"Getting better."

"I heard about the happenings in the Basilica between you and the Lord Marshal."

"And?"

"Has he claimed you?"

"No, but he and have an agreement. He does something for me, he gets to claim me."

"And what might that something be?"

"That's on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know."

"And what if someone else claims you before he does this mysterious favor?"

"The deal is open to him alone."

"So?" he asked but she didn't answer. She began to pack up the bow, walking over to the target and pulling the arrows out. She put them back in the quiver and took it off her back, setting it down on a table. She put the bow back in the weapons locker, feeling Lord Tyren's eyes on her the entire time.

"Is they're a reason why you're down here Lord Tyren?" she asked with her hands on her hips and he started to walk closer to her.

"Yes in fact there is." He lunged at her, knocking her back onto the table behind her. With one hand around her throat he caressed her breasts through her shirt with his other, his hand grasped the hem of her pants and tried to undo them, but found it difficult. He blanketed her body with his, squeezing between her legs and using his weight to trap her. "I'm going to claim you." he started to tear at her pants and she tried to push him off but he just laughed and pressed her down on her harder, making it difficult for her to breathe. While he was busy working on their pants she reached over and grabbed an arrow out of the quiver on the table next to them. Holding it in her hand, she stabbed him in the side of his thigh as hard as she could and he cried out, falling back onto the floor and grasping the arrow, trying to pull it out. Hopping up from the table she grabbed the quiver and strapped it onto her back again, going to weapons locker and taking out the bow, cocking an arrow and leaving the hangar and Lord Tyren on the floor.

Sharah scanned just outside the door in case the Lord had friends for backup and stealthily ran through the halls of the Necropolis, scanning the shadows, wishing she had Riddick night-seeing eyes. She stopped as she heard growling; knowing that other Necromongers had Hellhounds. A glowing red Hellhound stepped out of the shadows, its silver eyes flashing at her. She raised the bow, preparing to fire if it looked like it was going to pounce, and then she saw the tattered ear. She relaxed the bow.

"Aries?" she asked and the Hellhound's ears perked, then appeared to be focusing on her. His scales changed from red to slate gray and he started to wag his tail. She set the bow, arrow and all, down on the floor and went down on one knee. Aries bounded over to her and scratched behind his ears while he licked her cheek and neck. "What're you doing out buddy?" she asked looking him in the eyes.

"He wanted to go for a walk." She heard and Riddick stepped out of a shadowed archway. She looked at him and stood, her hand on the Hellhounds head. "He got away from me, probably smelled Necro and thought it was a guard to chew on. What's with the bow?" he asked, looking down at it and back up at her.

"Protection."

"Against?"

"Lord Tyren tried to forcibly claim me, it's against any other Lords who might roaming the halls for me." she said and his jaw tightened and quivered.

"What did you do to him to get him to stop?"

"I stabbed in him the leg with an arrow."

"Well I'm just gonna go put him out of his misery." Riddick said then smelled fresh blood. He looked over his shoulder and saw Lord Tyren limping heavily towards them. He grabbed Sharah's arm and pulled her into the shadows, signaling for Aries to stay. The Lord came closer and Riddick knew the exact moment when Aries smelled blood. The Hound's top lip curled back revealing large incisors, his body going bright red.

Lord Tyren limped after Sharah and came face to face with a red Hellhound baring its teeth. He saw Sharah's bow next to the creature and he looked past it down the hall. He tried to step past the Hound but it moved in front of him, blocking him.

"Move you dumb creature." He snarled and it growled at him. "Sharah! I know you're here somewhere! You have an affinity for these creatures and plus I know it didn't eat you, there's no blood. Besides, I wanted to be the one to do that." He said, adding a sick smile to that last sentence. The Hellhound suddenly pounced on him and he gave out a yell, but it was cut off as the Hound ripped out his throat.

"I wouldn't eat that Aries," Riddick said and Aries looked up from his kill. "It'll make you sick."


	10. X

This chapter is sexually explicit, but hey, its Riddick.

_

* * *

_"Lord Marshal, Sir?" the Necro steward asked and Riddick looked at him. 

"Yeah what is it?"

"I got the information you wanted, about Dame Toals." He said and shakily held out the info pad. Riddick snatched it from his hand and the steward jumped back.

"Did you read it?"

"N-no Sir."

"Good, now leave."

"Y-yes Sir." The steward fled down the hall and Riddick leaned against the wall, extending the pad and scanning over the information quickly.

Sharah answered the comms in her bedroom and Riddick's face entered the screen.

"I got the info you wanted. You can come down to get it."

"Okay, I'll be down in a second."

"Fine." The screen went blank and she shut off the comms. She put her dark cloak with a front fastening on over her nightclothes and put her boots on, walking to the front door.

"Where are you off to?" Erin asked with a smile and she looked at her, smiling back.

"Riddick wants to talk to me face-to-face."

"Okay, just be careful My Lady. The halls seem more dangerous lately, especially with Lord Tyren being found with his throat ripped out. I've heard people say that it was a Hellhound that had gotten loose."

"It probably was a Hound, Lord Tyren probably pissed it off. Now I must go, the Lord Marshal is waiting."

"Okay, bye My Lady."

"Goodbye Erin." Sharah said and left the rooms. As she walked down the halls she was aware of eyes following her, the eyes of Lords that sought to claim her. She approached Riddick's rooms and pressed the chime. It opened a second later and Riddick smirked at her.

"Come in." he said and stepped aside so she could. He closed the door and she faced him. Riddick handed her the info pad and she put it in one of the pockets of the cloak. "You're not going to look at it?"

"I'll read it later. Its time for me to hold up my end of the deal anyway."

"You make it sound like you don't want this when I know you do."

"Yes Riddick I do. I've been having extremely vivid dreams lately of you claiming me and when I wake up it feels as if my whole body is one giant nerve ending. I can feel everything, not even Bucha had generated that kind of feeling in me." she said and walked over, stopping in front of him. She lightly laid her hands on his chest and moved them upward and over his shoulders. "I should despise myself for feeling these things about you, after all, you did kill my husband, but I don't." his hands came up and undid the clasp on her cloak and it fell around her bent arms. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at her dark satin and lace nightclothes. It was a thin strapped nightgown that stopped about five inches below her sharp hipbones and allowed him to see her shapely legs to the tops to her boots. The bottom hem of the nightgown had a two-inch slit on her thighs and had, along with the hem across her chest, lace along the hem. Her hair was unbound and her hair and pale skin almost glowed in contrast to the dark material.

"Beautiful." He whispered and trailed his fingertips along her collarbone and up her neck to cup her jaw in his hand, his thumb moving over her bottom lip. Her eyes closed lazily and her lips parted. Riddick stooped down and kissed her, the cloak fell off her arms and they barely acknowledged the muted clunk as the info pad hit the floor. He picked her up his arms and carried her to his bedroom (closing and locking the door behind them) like a husband carrying his wife over the threshold for the first time and laid her down onto his bed. He paused only to remove his tank top before kneeling on the bed, his knees trapping her legs. His fingers encircled her ankles after removing her boots and his hands slowly moved up her silky legs, pushing the hem of her nightgown up and she lifted her arms as he removed it. His breath caught for the second time as he looked at her nude under him.

A small pleasant shudder went through Sharah's body at the look in Riddick's eyes. He was looking at her like a starved man looking at a banquet, ravenous and wanting. His thumbs flicked her hipbones and she moaned as that small action turned her blood into liquid fire, moisture rushing between her legs. His fingertips trailed along her skin and it seemed a wave a heat was spreading out from that path. His fingertips just barely skimmed the underside of her breasts and her nipples tightened in response. What was wrong with her? She was never this responsive with Bucha. There was just something about this man that sent her every nerve on edge and made her skin seem hypersensitive.

Riddick leaned down and captured her lips with his own, his tongue parting them and lightly touching hers. Her hands came to the back of her head and neck and she opened her mouth for him. His mouth was gentle on hers and his hands were tender as they stroked her skin. He had taken on a whole different demeanor; it seemed as if he was uncertain about what he was doing and whether or not he should do it. His hands cupped her breasts gently and her back arched into him, her lips breaking away from his as she gasped. He started to kiss a line down her body, stopping to nuzzle his face between her breasts and to kiss the side of each one. His mouth captured one hard peak and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His tongue lapped at the sensitive nipple and he sucked on it gently, releasing it only to capture it again.

Sharah caressed his back and shoulders and moaned when he moved to the other rosy tip, doing the same as he did to the other. He kissed her breasts one more time before continuing his path down her body, his lips barely skimming along her skin and kissing here and there. He rubbed her thighs with his hands as he laid one gentle kiss on her hipbone and did the same to the other. He caressed the tight orange curls between her legs causing her to whimper.

"Riddick," she started up he laid a finger against her lips.

"Shh." He said and parted her thighs, moving between them and laying kisses on her inner thigh leading to her core. His hands stroked the soft skin of her inner thighs as he breathed hotly against her sensitive flesh and she felt herself become even wetter.

The smell of her arousal hit his brain like a drug and made his mouth water. He stroked the V leading down to the juncture and she whimpered again. Stroking just outside of her outer labia he kissed the clitoral hood and her hips bucked off the bed. He started to feed at her like a starved man, licking and sucking at her core, jabbing at her opening with the tip of his tongue, pushing just inside of it and then withdrawing again. He took the hood into his mouth and sucked on his gently his tongue pushing at it. He released it and lapped at it with a flat tongue, kissing it over and over again.

"Riddick please." She sobbed and he pushed the tip of his tongue into her, deeper this time. She came in a flow of liquid that tasted like honey and strawberries to him and he drank it all. He was hard and his pants constricted him painfully. He ached to get inside of her, but he wasn't done yet. He licked his lips to get every bit of her off them and he kissed her core gently one more time before laying kisses up her flat stomach to her breasts.

Riddick laid to the side of her and their lips met hungrily in a deep and passionate kiss. Reaching down, she rubbed him through his pants and he groaned into her mouth. He pet between her legs, his fingers exploring her.

"Please Riddick, I need you inside me." Sharah sobbed, tears coursing down her cheek and he licked them away with the tip of his tongue.

"Not just yet." He growled and pushed the tip of his finger inside her, his thumb pushing at the clitoral hood. He pushed his finger in up to the middle knuckle and she rubbed his arm. He could feel the residual spasms of her orgasm pulsing around his finger and suddenly it seemed that there was just one nerve running from that finger to his groin, making him become harder. He withdrew his finger so the tip of his finger remained and pushed it back in, adding a second finger to it. They kissed deeply as he loved her with his hand and he was soon bringing her to yet another crashing release. She contracted around his fingers as she cried out. He withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth, licking her essence off of them. Her fingers danced over the fastening of his pants and undid them. He pushed them down and off, having never put on his boots today. He knelt between her legs and smirked as she looked at his organ with wide eyes.

He was big, Sharah observed. About ten inches long and two inches wide, but that's only an approximate, its not like she had a tape measure or anything. Sitting up she took him in her hands and he moaned, his head falling back. She stroked his gently and his hips bucked into her hands.

"Sharah," he breathed looking at her. Riddick grabbed her hands and pushed them away, wrapping his fingers around her hips and yanking her closer to him. She wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his shoulder and he fell forward. The force of her back hitting the mattress slid him halfway into her and he stilled, allowing her stretch to accommodate him before pushing more of him inside her. Moving her legs to the bends of his arms, he pushed inside her to the hilt and shuddered at the feeling of hot silk. He settled on her, his elbows on either side of her taking most of his weight. They kissed deeply and he began his slow but deep movements. His hips rolled into hers in a flex of tight muscle and her hands rubbed his back and shoulders, trying to soothe the tense muscle she found there. He was holding back, trying to be gentle with her, she could feel it in his tense body, see it in his clenched jaw.

"Don't hold back Riddick." Sharah said and he looked at her with those molten mercury eyes.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I won't break." She promised and he nodded. "Tell me what to do."

"Hold onto me." he said and she wrapped her arms around his massive shoulders while his hands grasped her hips hard. His hips began to surge powerfully between her legs and her hips began to match his rhythm, meeting him stroke for stroke. Her body started to wind tighter and tighter with each powerful thrust of his hips, like a rubber band being twisted. Their sweat mingled and soaked into the sheets. Her legs locked around his hips and she could feel the driving muscle of his butt flexing and releasing. His lips locked onto her throat, sucking at her skin and marking her. He released her throat and pressed his lips to her ear. "You're mine now." He panted and she nodded. "Say it. Say you're mine."

"I'm yours." She sobbed. "Oh god Riddick, I'm yours."

"Forever."

"Forever." She echoed. The "band" broke and she came screaming. He picked up his pace and bucked into her hard, driving cries from her throat. He pushed into her to the hilt one last time and roared into her hair as he released inside of her. Her spasming inner walls massaged every last bit of his essence from him and he panted into her shoulder, groaning as she clenched around him like a warm fist. He bucked into her a few more times before stilling completely. His body was wonderfully fatigued and his arms shook in the effort to keep him up. He rolled to the side of her and pulled her to his chest, molding her body to his and stroking her slick back. They kissed deeply and stared at each other for the longest time. "I'm glad it was you that claimed me." She said and he kissed her forehead, smiling fondly at her. She made a thoughtful sound, a furrow appearing between her brows.

"What?" Riddick asked.

"I can't move my legs." She said with a pleased smile and his booming laughter filled the room.


	11. XI

They made love several more times before getting up and going into the bathroom to shower. Actually, a couple of those times were just pure animalistic mating, his body getting inside hers as soon as possible and quickly bringing them both to release. Riddick had to carry her to the bathroom because her legs refused to work, but even if they had been working, he still would have carried her. Their shower didn't stay chaste, since both of them just _couldn't_ keep their hands off each other and Riddick found a new use for the handle of the back scrubber. His face with the perked eyebrow and playful smile as he looked at it then her will forever be imprinted on her mind and will bring a fond smile to her lips, then a raging blush to her cheeks as she remember just what exactly he did with it.

"So what happens now?" Riddick asked as they lay in bed under the covers.

"Well according to Necromonger law, we have to get married."

"Mandatory?"

"You bet."

"Will I have to produce a ring?"

"Nope, a tattoo is usually what happens."

"A tattoo."

"Yes, of the mans symbol. A mark proclaiming that the woman is his." She said and he gently touched the bright red mark on her neck making her blush. "Something a little longer lasting. I will have to get Bucha's off of course."

"Where is it?" Riddick asked and she turned her back on him, moving her damp hair over one shoulder and letting him see the small tattoo of a hammerhead shark on the back of her neck. "I don't have a symbol."

"Then you'll have to make something up. But make sure that its something you really like because we both have to get it and we can't just change it just because you get tired of it one day and want a different one." She said and he chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'll pick something and stick with it."

"It used to a brand."

"As in what herders used on cattle."

"Yup."

"What changed?"

"Lord Marshal Baylock 'The Brutal' changed it because a Necro Lady couldn't get remarried without it getting it removed and since you can't remove brands, the Necro Ladies started to commit suicide, he changed it to a tattoo to preserve the religion."

"What is there like a Necromonger History class that all converts have to take?" Riddick asked with a smirk and she smiled.

"No, but a class would have made it a whole lot easier. Converts are expected to learn the Necro history and entire philosophy and commit it to memory within their first year."

"And if they don't?"

"Then they are believed to be against the faith and are publicly executed."

"Tough break."

"You could end that you know. It's a barbaric unwritten law. What if the convert had a learning disability? They'd get executed for something they can't control."

"I'll end it."

"Thank you." she said and they kissed gently, but the kiss turned heated. They just couldn't get enough of each other. Riddick growled and flung the blanket off of them, wrapping his fingers around her hips and bringing her up into a kneeled position above his lap. The tip of him nudged her entrance and he pulled her down hard making her cry out in ecstasy.

Riddick saw the new Purifier walking through the Necropolis and quickened his pace slightly. When she had been able to say coherent words that were actual words, Sharah had told him that only a Purifier could perform the marriage ritual, as he was kind of like a Necro Priest.

"Purifier!" he yelled and the Necropolis stilled. The Purifier froze in his tracks and shook with fear as he approached.

"Yes Lord Marshal?" he asked and Riddick stopped in front of him.

"You need to perform a ritual."

"What kind of ritual Sir?" the Purifier asked warily, if it was a death ritual then that means that the Lord Marshal had killed yet another Necro.

"A marriage ritual." He said and the Purifier relaxed, a small smile coming to his face.

"Of who?"

"Me and Sharah Toals."

"You claimed her?"

"Yes, quite a few times actually." Riddick said and smirked at the Purifier's nervous look. "I want it done as soon as possible."

"Sir," the Purifier said, his voice taking on a warning tone. "You do realize that if you marry her, your aggressors will target her first as a way to weaken you."

"Yes."

Sharah entered her rooms and went into her bedroom, removing her cloak and throwing it on her bed before going into the bathroom to shower. She stood in the stall and let the water beat down on her fatigued muscles. By the time she and Riddick had gotten dressed the whole apartment had smelled of sex and sweat. She scrubbed the sweat from her body and shaved her legs. Sharah got out of the stall and wrapped a towel around her body, looking into the mirror over the sink. There was a large red mark on her neck and collarbone and a bright red flush came to face as she remembered it.

She went into her bedroom and smiled when she saw a large tray of her favorite foods on her bed. Getting dressed into her pajamas, she ate and carried the tray out into the main area. Erin was sitting in a chair and stood when she entered.

"Thank you Erin." She said and Erin took the tray from her. "Did you feed Sonya and Talyn?"

"Yes, but they have missed you."

"Where are they?" Sharah asked and the two Hounds stuck their small heads from behind Erin's skirts. Sharah crouched down and they ran over, leaping into her arms and knocking her onto her rear. They nuzzled into her neck, licking it and she cuddled them fondly. Transferring them to one arm, she got up and nodded to Erin before going back into her room and lying on her bed. The Hellhounds curled up against her like they would their mother and went to sleep while she stroked their backs. A wide yawn split her face and she soon found herself dropping off to sleep.

She woke to softly spoken words and felt only one Hound asleep against her. She opened her eyes and saw Riddick holding Sonya in his arm, rocking from side to side while he bottle fed her. He was looking down at the animal as he would a child and her heart clenched. He looked at her and a furrow appeared in his brow as she started to cry.

"What is it?" he said, his voice low.

"I wish I could give you a family." She sobbed and the furrow vanished.

"I don't need a family Sharah."

"Yes, but you want one. I can see it when you hold Sonya, when you look down at her. You wish that it was your child." Sharah said and he sighed. He waited until Sonya was done feeding before he set her now sleeping body down on the large cushion in the corner. He gently picked up Talyn, who woke briefly to look up at him and give out a meow/bark before going back to sleep, and set him down next to his sister. Riddick climbed onto the bed facing her and took her into his arms.

"Yes Sharah, I want a family." He said and she sobbed into his tank top. "I didn't have one growing up and I used to dream of holding a baby in my arms, knowing that it was mine."

"I'm sorry I can't make that dream a reality Riddick. I'm so sorry." she said, her voice muffled and he took her face out of his chest, making her look at him.

"I've accepted the fact that I will never have a family of my own. I wasn't meant to have a family. I was meant to be alone in this universe."

"But you're not alone anymore Riddick. You have me." Sharah said and cupped his cheek in her hand. He moved his face into her palm and grabbed her hand, laying a gentle kiss on the blue vein running diagonally across the inside of her wrist. "I want to give you children Riddick. I want that so much."

"Why?"

"Because you have such sadness in your eyes, I can see it when you think I'm not looking and the shielding breaks down." She said and the impassive mask he always wore crumbled away completely and all of his emotions were out there on the surface. She saw the crushing sadness in his eyes and in the lines around them. The loneliness was stark in the lines around his mouth, and she knew that no one has probably ever seen this in such levels. His mask was completely stripped away and she was left looking at the sad, lonely man who was convinced that he had to be alone, for everyone's safety. It brought tears to her eyes once more and she held him in her arms while he laid his cheek against her chest. "I want to chase that sadness away Riddick. I want you to never feel sad or lonely again."

The name she knew him by suddenly seemed cold and impersonal. Everyone called him Riddick and so she whispered the one phrase that she knew would separate her from all the rest.

"Richard, my Richard." His arms around her softened and moisture soaked through her pajamas on a spot on her chest. Sharah tilted his face up and wiped away his tears, but more tumbled down her fingers and she simply held him against her chest. There were no sobs that shook his body, he simply lay against her and let the tears course down his cheeks and soak into her nightclothes.

"I'm so tired Sharah. Physically yeah, but I'm just tired of fighting, and of being alone." He said against her.

"You're no longer alone Richard and hopefully, you'll let me fight beside you and help you. But for now, sleep." She said and stroked the back of his head and neck. He didn't reply but soon his breathing grew even and deep, his body relaxing against hers. She rolled onto her back and he settled on top of her, rubbing his cheek against her and going back to sleep. Sharah yawned and closed her eyes, falling back to sleep with her arms around her man.

Erin gently pushed open the door and peered inside, but withdrew giggling. The Lord Marshal and Lady Sharah were lying asleep together on the bed in each other's arms. Lord Marshal was pressed up against her stomach and Lady Sharah had a hand resting on the back of his neck and her arm across his shoulders. Lord Marshal had his arms wrapped around her thighs and waist. Erin closed the door and went to her room, happy that Her Lady had found someone to fill the emptiness that Her Late Lord Toals had left behind with his death.

Riddick woke with his face buried in Sharah's stomach and he inhaled her scent with still closed eyes. He ran his thumbs back and forth across her thighs and she squirmed, but didn't wake. He got off the bed gently and went over to Talyn and Sonya, picking up the entire cushion and pushing open the bedroom door, setting them outside. He closed the door and locked it going back over to the bed and taking off his tank top. He knelt on the bed and pushed her nightgown up past her waist, trailing his fingertips up her thighs lightly. Again she squirmed but didn't wake. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took off his boots and socks and resumed his kneeling position, this time nuzzling the curls between her legs with his mouth, his tongue darting out and tasting her, feeling her jump and smiling against her.

Sharah came awake with a jolt as a warm, moist tongue rubbed her center. Riddick shifted his position and spread her thighs; his hand stroked her into arousal and her moans filled the room. He removed her nightgown and she sat up, undoing his pants while stroking the bulge in the fabric. Riddick pushed his pants down and kicked them off, leaning into her and pushing her back onto the mattress with a mischievous grin. Her hands settled lightly on his hips, stroking the protruding bones.

"I want to give you a child Richard and it kills me inside that I can't. My conversion made me barren and now…" Riddick laid a finger against her lips, silencing her.

"Lets not talk about that. I need you right now." Riddick said and put a hand between them, finding that she was still ready. Centering himself, he thrust into her to the hilt and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. He stilled to let her adjust and began his hard and rough pace, quickly bringing them both to shattering climax. He lay against her, panting against her shoulder while he pulsed inside of her, her inner muscles clenching and releasing around him.

"Richard." She whispered and he looked at her. Cradling his face in her hands, she kissed him and he parted her lips, deepening it. Breaking the kiss, he put his face back into her shoulder and kissed her neck.

"I talked to the Purifier." He said against her skin.

"And?"

"I told him that I wanted the ritual performed as soon as possible."

"Okay." she said and he took his face out of her shoulder to look at him.

"Its not too late to back out you know. There has to be someone better…" his sentence was cut off as she kissed him gently and pulled away.

"I belong with you." She said and his eyes grew soft. She stroked his cheek with the backs of her fingers and stretched underneath him. "Now," she said with a small smile. "Who's up for some more sleep?" she asked and he laughed, rolling over onto his back and pulling her to his chest.


	12. Message

Wondering why this story hasn't been updated in like forever

Wondering why this story hasn't been updated in like _forever?_

See my profile for details!


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